JP2007201734A - System and method for information processing - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a system and a method for information processing for directly transmitting an operating condition information already set in the own apparatus to other apparatus connected to a same network to set the information, without presetting an acquiring destination for the operating condition information including a setting information and a taste information. <P>SOLUTION: When a control means 53 of a network-connected television receiver 1a transmits an operating condition information stored in a storage means 52 of the network-connected television receiver 1a to an apparatus B, a control means 53 of a digital recorder 1b connected to a same network stores an operating condition information, which meets a predetermined storage condition, in a storage means 52 of the digital recorder 1b, out of the received operating condition information. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an information processing system and an information processing method capable of sharing information, and more specifically, information between two or more devices connectable by some means, regardless of means such as wired and wireless. The present invention relates to an information processing system and an information processing method capable of sharing information between devices having the same function, such as a television receiver and a video recorder having a television receiving function.

  In recent years, home appliances having a communication function called digital home appliances have been on the market. This home appliance has means that can be connected to a home network that has been conventionally formed by a personal computer (hereinafter abbreviated as PC (Personal Computer)), for example, Internet connection means. Using this Internet connection means, the function of sharing information between home appliances connected to the home network, the function of using Internet services, and mobile devices such as mobile phones, PCs, and PDAs (Personal Digital Assistance) In addition, a function for accessing devices in the home from the outside is available.

  In particular, convenience is greatly improved by sharing information between home appliances connected to a home network. Household appliances connected to the home network include devices such as a PC, a television (hereinafter abbreviated as a television), a digital recorder, a music component, and a portable playback device. In the home network, for example, information is shared using technical specifications for UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) or communication rules proposed by DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance).

  Furthermore, in recent years, PCs have become AV (Audio Visual), and at mass merchandise stores, models equipped with TV tuners occupy the majority, from desktop PCs to notebook PCs. Under such a trend, a TV tuner has begun to be mounted on a conventional PC display, and conversely, a terminal for PC connection is mounted on a TV, and even in the thin display field, it is called a TV or a PC monitor. Such genres are merging.

  For example, desktop PCs equipped with a 26-inch large screen TV (Television) are on the market. The desktop PC is sold by a combination of a desktop PC equipped with a TV tuner and a television monitor equipped with a PC connection function. The tendency to be sold by such a combination is partly due to the evolution of the TV recording function installed in PCs and the use of home appliances such as AV functions installed on PCs with remote controls. Conceivable.

Furthermore, in addition to broadcasts using radio networks such as TV broadcasts and radio broadcasts that have traditionally been represented as AV media, FTTH (Fiber To The Home), ADSL (Asymmetric Digital)
Broadband environment such as Subscriber Line) or CATV (Community Antenna Tele Vision) has begun to be established, and broadcasting using IP (Internet Protocol) network having high affinity with PC is becoming popular, and technically including conventional broadcasting There is a soil where all IP services are possible. For example, the number of telecommunications carriers and service providers that connect to a television called STB (Set Top Box) to provide multi-channel broadcasting services, IP broadcasting or video on demand services using the Internet, or WEB services, etc. will increase I am doing. Until now, communications and service providers have independently developed STB functions (specifications), developed them independently, and operated services that are connected to televisions and used. However, with the expansion of services associated with the spread of broadband, the specifications of services using the Internet are not so different for each business operator, and it is assumed that such Internet service usage functions will be installed in network televisions and the like in the future. Is done. In other words, the network television is naturally equipped with a function of receiving services via the network. Accordingly, various devices in the house become service-enabled, for example, even though the same service functions are used on the TV used in the living room and the TV used in the private room. , Menu order, channel settings, etc. are inconvenient. In addition, while it is convenient due to the multi-channel era, it is expected that convenience including operability will decrease.

The operation conditions of devices connected to the network must be set for each device according to the environment in which the device is used. It is necessary to set the same operation condition as that of the already connected device for the newly connected device in the network to which the device for which the operation condition has already been set is connected. As a familiar example in daily life, when a TV and a video recorder are installed in a living room, it is necessary to set a channel on the TV and set a channel on the video recorder. The channel setting can be set by, for example, an auto scan function installed in the device, that is, a function for automatically presetting, but the channel preset or the name of the broadcasting station, EPG (Electronic Program)
The order of Guide) is not standardized, and the user needs to adjust the settings individually for each setting. The setting information to be set in the device includes, for example, setting information for setting a TV broadcast channel, preference information regarding user preferences, setting information for setting operation conditions of an application program, and the like. It is necessary to set a lot of information. Setting work for setting information is a complicated and time-consuming work, and it is required to facilitate the setting work.

  For example, as a first conventional technique, there is a network terminal device that stores device setting information in a shared area of the terminal device. The setting information is stored in a shared area that can be accessed from other terminal devices, and the setting information can be referred to from other terminal devices (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  As a second prior art, there is an automatic channel setting device that automatically performs channel setting of an external device on the main body side. This automatic channel setting device sends tuning information to an external device having a tuner, and sets the tuned tuner information in a memory based on a received signal from the tuner (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

  As a third conventional technique, there is a channel setting registration system in which a receiving apparatus acquires and sets channel information from a server. In this channel setting registration system, a receiving device connected via a network to a server that stores channel information for each region receives and displays data for selecting a region from the server. When the user selects a region, the selected region is transmitted to the server. When the server transmits channel information corresponding to the area to the receiving device, the receiving device performs channel presetting based on the channel information received from the server. By having detailed channel information for each region in a server on the network, it is possible to obtain channel information from the server at any time by any receiving device, enabling fine channel presetting (for example, patents). Reference 3).

  As a fourth conventional technique, there is an automatic channel setting device that receives and sets channel setting information from a center. The automatic channel setting device receives and sets channel setting information from a center that transmits information for specifying a channel suitable for a region by using a pager function when the power is turned on. Since channel setting is automatically performed, it is not necessary for a person to manually set the channel (see, for example, Patent Document 4).

  As a fifth prior art, there is an information processing apparatus capable of setting and shipping setting information already set in an electronic device to a newly purchased electronic device. When this information processing apparatus transmits the setting information of the electronic device already owned by the purchaser to the server of the electronic equipment manufacturer / distributor via the network, the server newly purchases the received setting information. And set it to a newly purchased electronic device. In mail order sales using an Internet homepage, the manufacturer / distributor can provide the purchaser with an electronic device in which the setting information is set, so that the purchaser does not have to set the setting information (for example, patents). Reference 5).

  As a sixth prior art, there is a broadcast receiver remote control device capable of setting a channel of a receiving device. This remote control device for broadcast receiver reads the channel setting information from the medium on which the channel setting information is recorded, transmits the read channel setting information to the broadcast receiver, and sets it in the broadcast receiver. Even when the channel needs to be changed, the channel can be easily reset (see, for example, Patent Document 6).

JP 2004-112331 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-200454 JP-A-10-257402 JP 2000-162347 A JP 2002-49793 A JP 2004-260441 A

  As an embodiment of the present invention, an information processing system and an information processing method will be described in a network-compatible television receiver. Here, the television broadcast is not only a television broadcast but also a broadcast via the Internet, It can be applied to all service reception functions that can be displayed and used on a display device such as a television, such as video on demand and Internet WEB service.

  However, the first prior art directly refers to the setting information stored in the shared area of another terminal device. However, since the shared area is provided in a specific terminal device, the information acquisition destination is set in advance. There is a problem that needs to be done.

  According to the second conventional technique, tuning information is sent for each channel, and channel setting is performed based on a received signal from an external device, and channel setting takes time. It does not share existing setting information.

  In the third conventional technique, a receiving apparatus acquires and sets channel information from a server that stores channel information. In the fourth conventional technique, channel setting information is received and set from a center that transmits information specifying a channel suitable for a region. The sixth conventional technique reads channel setting information from a medium in which channel setting information is recorded, and transmits the read channel setting information to a broadcast receiver for setting. Both techniques can acquire information that does not depend on an individual such as channel information, but there is a problem that information that depends on an individual, such as preference information, cannot be acquired.

According to a fifth conventional technique, setting information of an electronic device already owned by a purchaser is transmitted to a server of an electronic device manufacturer / distributor via a network, and the electronic device is newly set by the server. Supply the set electronic devices. When setting personal information already set in an electronic device that is already held in a newly purchased electronic device, there is a problem that it is set via a third-party server such as a manufacturer or distributor, and security of personal information In view of the above, the object of the present invention is not to set the acquisition destination of the operation condition information including the setting information and the preference information in advance, and the operation condition information already set in the own device is the same. To provide an information processing system and an information processing method that can be directly transmitted to other devices connected to a network and set.

The present invention is an information processing system in which a plurality of information processing devices that operate based on operating condition information representing predetermined operating conditions are connected to each other,
First storage means for storing operation condition information, transmission means, and first control means for causing the transmission means to transmit operation condition information stored in the first storage means when a predetermined transmission condition is established. A first information processing device including:
When the operating condition information transmitted by the second storing means, the receiving means, and the transmitting means for storing the operating condition information is received by the receiving means, the operating condition among the operating condition information received by the receiving means And a second information processing apparatus including second control means for storing operation condition information that matches predetermined storage conditions for storing information in the second storage means. System.

  According to the present invention, first, in a first information processing apparatus included in an information processing system in which a plurality of information processing apparatuses that perform operations based on operation condition information representing predetermined operation conditions are connected to each other, The storage unit stores operation condition information, and when a predetermined transmission condition is satisfied, the first control unit transmits the operation condition information stored in the first storage unit by the transmission unit. Next, in the second information processing apparatus included in the information processing system, the operation condition information is stored by the second storage unit, and the operation condition information transmitted by the transmission unit is stored by the second control unit. When received by the receiving means, among the operating condition information received by the receiving means, operating condition information that matches a predetermined storage condition for storing the operating condition information is stored in the second storage means. .

  Thus, in an information processing system in which a plurality of information processing devices that operate based on operation condition information representing predetermined operation conditions, for example, setting information and preference information, are connected to each other, The operating condition information stored in the first storage means of the first information processing apparatus included in the information processing system is transmitted from the first information processing apparatus to the second information processing apparatus included in the information processing system. When the second information processing apparatus receives the operating condition information from the first information processing apparatus, the operating condition information that matches the predetermined storage condition for storing the operating condition information among the received operating condition information Is stored in the second storage means, and the acquisition destination of the operation condition information including the setting information and the preference information is set in advance in the receiving device, that is, the second information processing apparatus. No necessity, can already be set directly transmit the operating condition information set in the first information processing apparatus of the self apparatus, i.e. sender to other devices connected to the same network.

In the present invention, the operating condition information includes type information corresponding to a function of the information processing apparatus,
The predetermined storage condition is a condition that the type information included in the operation condition information received by the receiving unit matches the type information included in the operation condition information stored in the second storage unit. It is characterized by.

  According to the present invention, the predetermined storage condition is that the type information included in the operation condition information received by the receiving unit matches the type information included in the operation condition information stored in the second storage unit. Therefore, out of the operating condition information received from the first information processing apparatus, the operating condition information including the type information that matches the type information included in the operating condition information stored in the second information processing apparatus, It can be stored in the second storage means of the second information processing apparatus.

Further, according to the present invention, the operation condition information includes update time information indicating a time when the operation condition information is updated,
The predetermined storage condition is that the time indicated by the update time information included in the operation condition information received by the receiving means is the time indicated by the update time information included in the operation condition information stored in the second storage means. It is a condition that it is later.

  According to the present invention, the predetermined storage condition is that the time indicated by the update time information included in the operation condition information received by the receiving means is the update time information included in the operation condition information stored in the second storage means. Therefore, the time indicated by the update time information included in the received operating condition information is the second time out of the operating condition information received from the first information processing apparatus. Operating condition information that is newer than the time indicated by the update time information included in the operating condition information stored in the information processing apparatus can be stored in the second storage unit of the second information processing apparatus.

In the present invention, the operating condition information includes administrator information for identifying an administrator who manages the operating condition information,
The predetermined storage condition is indicated by the administrator information included in the operation condition information stored in the second storage means by the administrator indicated by the administrator information included in the operation condition information received by the receiving means. The condition is that it matches the manager.

  According to the present invention, the predetermined storage condition is that the administrator indicated by the administrator information included in the operation condition information received by the receiving means is an administrator included in the operation condition information stored in the second storage means. Since the condition is that it matches the administrator indicated by the information, among the operation condition information received from the first information processing apparatus, the administrator information included in the received operation condition information and the storage of the own information processing apparatus The operating condition information that matches the administrator information included in the operating condition information stored in the means can be stored in the second storage means of the second information processing apparatus.

  Further, the present invention is characterized in that the operation condition information includes at least one of channel setting information, preference information related to a user's preference, and setting information indicating an operation condition of an application program.

  According to the present invention, the operation condition information includes at least one of channel setting information, preference information related to the user's preference, and setting information indicating the operation condition of the application program. The set channel setting information, preference information, and application program setting information can be set as the operating condition information of the device itself.

Further, the present invention is an information processing system in which a plurality of information processing devices that perform operations based on operation condition information representing predetermined operation conditions are connected to each other,
First storage means for storing device management information and operating condition information used to determine a master information processing apparatus that transmits operating condition information to another information processing apparatus, first transmission / reception means, and the first information processing apparatus A first information processing apparatus including first control means for transmitting and receiving information by means of transmission and reception means;
A second information processing apparatus including second storage means for storing device management information and operating condition information, second transmission / reception means, and second control means for transmitting / receiving information by the second transmission / reception means. ,
The first control unit transmits device management information request information for requesting device management information to the second information processing apparatus by the first transmission / reception unit when a predetermined transmission condition is satisfied,
When the second control unit receives the device management information request information from the first information processing apparatus by the second transmission / reception unit, the second control unit stores the device management information stored in the second storage unit. Transmitted to the first information processing apparatus by means of transmission / reception means;
When the first control unit receives device management information from the second information processing apparatus by the first transmission / reception unit, the first control unit receives the device management information received by the first transmission / reception unit, and the first storage Comparing the device management information stored in the means and determining that the device management information of the first information processing device satisfies a predetermined master condition, the first information processing device is set as a master information processing device, The operating condition information stored in the first storage means is transmitted to the second information processing apparatus by the first transmission / reception means,
When the second control means receives the operating condition information from the first information processing apparatus by the second transmitting / receiving means, the operating condition information among the operating condition information received by the second transmitting / receiving means. In the information processing system, operation condition information that matches a predetermined storage condition for storing the information is stored in the second storage means.

  According to the present invention, in the first information processing apparatus included in the information processing system in which a plurality of information processing apparatuses that operate based on operation condition information representing predetermined operation conditions are connected to each other, the first storage Means for storing device management information and operating condition information used to determine a master information processing apparatus that transmits operating condition information to another information processing apparatus, and the first control means stores the first transmission / reception means. In the second information processing apparatus included in the information processing system, device management information and operating condition information are stored by the second storage unit, and the second control unit stores the second information Information is transmitted and received by the transmitting and receiving means.

  Next, when a predetermined transmission condition is satisfied, device management information request information for requesting device management information is transmitted by the first control unit to the second information processing apparatus by the first transmission / reception unit. When the second control means receives the device management information request information from the first information processing apparatus by the second transmission / reception means, the device management information stored in the second storage means is changed to the second storage means. Are transmitted to the first information processing apparatus.

  Further, when the first control means receives device management information from the second information processing apparatus by the first transmission / reception means, the device management information received by the first transmission / reception means, and the first control means Is compared with the device management information stored in the storage means, and when it is determined that the device management information of the first information processing apparatus satisfies a predetermined master condition, the first information processing apparatus performs master information processing. Operating condition information stored in the first storage means is transmitted to the second information processing apparatus by the first transmission / reception means, and the first information processing is performed by the second control means. When operating condition information is received from the apparatus by the second transmitting / receiving means, the operating condition information is stored in the operating condition information received by the second transmitting / receiving means. Operating condition information that matches the order specified storage conditions are stored in the second storage means.

  As described above, the first control unit included in the first information processing apparatus, when a predetermined transmission condition is satisfied, operates condition information stored in the first storage unit included in the first information processing apparatus, for example, Device management information request information for requesting device management information used to determine a master information processing device that transmits setting information and preference information to another information processing device is transmitted to the second information processing device and transmitted. When the device management information transmitted from the second information processing apparatus is received in response to the received device management information request information, the received device management information and the device management information stored in the first storage means are In comparison, when it is determined that the device management information of the first information processing device satisfies a predetermined master condition, the first information processing device is set as the master information processing device, and the motion stored in the first storage means is stored. It transmits the condition information to the second information processing apparatus. Further, when the second information processing apparatus receives the operation condition information from the first information processing apparatus, the second control means included in the second information processing apparatus includes the operation condition among the received operation condition information. Since the operation condition information that matches the predetermined storage condition for storing the information is stored in the second storage means, the operation condition information including the setting information and the preference information is stored in the receiving device, that is, the second information processing apparatus. There is no need to set the acquisition destination in advance, and the operating condition information set in the device that satisfies the master condition, that is, the first information processing device on the transmission side, is directly transmitted to other devices connected to the same network. Can be set.

According to the present invention, the device management information includes connection time information indicating a time when the information processing apparatus is connected to a network, acquisition time information indicating a time when the information processing apparatus acquires a network address, Final time information representing the last time connected to the network, channel number information representing the number of applications and channels set in the local information processing device, usage frequency information representing the usage frequency of the local information processing device, And / or additional time information representing the time at which the application or channel was last added,
When the time indicated by the connection time information of the first information processing apparatus is earlier than the time indicated by the connection time information of the second information processing apparatus, the first control means When the time indicated by the acquisition time information of the device is earlier than the time indicated by the acquisition time information of the second information processing device, the time indicated by the final time information of the first information processing device is the second information. When the number indicated by the channel number information of the first information processing device is greater than the number indicated by the channel number information of the second information processing device when the time indicated by the final time information of the processing device is earlier than When the usage frequency indicated by the usage frequency information of the first information processing apparatus is higher than the usage frequency indicated by the usage frequency information of the second information processing apparatus, or by additional time information of the first information processing apparatus Time is the second information processing location When more time showing additional time information of the device is also a front, and judging with the previously determined master condition is satisfied.

  According to the present invention, the device management information includes connection time information indicating a time when the information processing apparatus is connected to the network, acquisition time information indicating a time when the information processing apparatus acquires a network address, Last time information representing the last time connected to the network, channel number information representing the number of applications and channels set in the information processing apparatus, utilization frequency information representing the utilization frequency of the information processing apparatus, and applications and Including at least one of additional time information indicating the time at which the channel was last added, and the first control means determines whether or not a predetermined master condition is satisfied based on the information. Connection time information, acquisition time information, final time information, channel number information, usage frequency information, and additional information. By any of the time information, it is possible to determine the master information processing apparatus.

  In addition, the present invention is a plurality of information processing devices that operate based on operation condition information representing predetermined operation conditions, from the first information processing device of the plurality of information processing devices connected to each other, When a predetermined transmission condition is satisfied, the operating condition information stored in the first information processing apparatus is transmitted to a second information processing apparatus among the plurality of information processing apparatuses, and further, the second information processing is performed. When the apparatus receives the operating condition information from the first information processing apparatus, the operating condition information that matches a predetermined storage condition for storing the operating condition information is received from the second operating condition information. The information processing method is characterized in that it is stored in the information processing apparatus.

  According to the present invention, there are a plurality of information processing devices that operate based on operation condition information representing predetermined operation conditions, for example, setting information and preference information, and the first of the plurality of information processing devices connected to each other. When a predetermined transmission condition is satisfied from one information processing apparatus, operating condition information stored in the first information processing apparatus is transmitted to a second information processing apparatus among the plurality of information processing apparatuses, and When the second information processing apparatus receives the operation condition information from the first information processing apparatus, the operation condition information that matches a predetermined storage condition for storing the operation condition information is received from the received operation condition information. Since the information is stored in the second information processing apparatus, it is not necessary to set in advance the acquisition destination of the operation condition information including the setting information and the preference information in the receiving device, that is, the second information processing apparatus. That can be set by sending directly the operation condition information set in the first information processing apparatus on the transmission side to the other devices connected to the same network.

  In addition, the present invention is a plurality of information processing devices that perform an operation based on operation condition information representing a predetermined operation condition, and the first information processing device among the plurality of information processing devices connected to each other is When the master condition to be established is satisfied, the first information processing apparatus transmits the operation condition information stored in the first information processing apparatus to the second information processing apparatus among the plurality of information processing apparatuses, and When the second information processing apparatus receives operation condition information from the first information processing apparatus, an operation condition that matches a predetermined storage condition for storing the operation condition information among the received operation condition information The information processing method is characterized in that information is stored in the second information processing apparatus.

  According to the present invention, there are a plurality of information processing devices that operate based on operation condition information representing predetermined operation conditions, for example, setting information and preference information, and the first of the plurality of information processing devices connected to each other. When one information processing apparatus satisfies a predetermined master condition, the first information processing apparatus uses the operation information stored in the first information processing apparatus as second information of the plurality of information processing apparatuses. When the second information processing apparatus receives the operation condition information from the first information processing apparatus and transmits to the processing apparatus, a predetermined storage condition for storing the operation condition information among the received operation condition information Is stored in the second information processing apparatus, the acquisition destination of the operation condition information including the setting information and the preference information is set in advance in the receiving apparatus, that is, the second information processing apparatus. No necessity can set directly transmit the operating condition information set in the first information processing apparatus of the master satisfying equipment clogging sender to other devices connected to the same network.

  According to the present invention, it is not necessary to set the acquisition destination of the operation condition information including the setting information and the preference information in advance, and the operation condition information already set in the own device is connected to the same network. Since the setting can be made by directly transmitting to the device, the user does not need to perform a manual setting operation.

  According to the invention, the operation condition including type information that matches the type information included in the operation condition information stored in the second information processing device among the operation condition information received from the first information processing device. Since the information can be stored in the second storage unit of the second information processing apparatus, even if the operating condition information is received from the information processing apparatus including different functions, the information processing apparatus corresponds to the function possessed by the information processing apparatus. Operating condition information can be set.

  According to the invention, the time indicated by the update time information included in the received operation condition information among the operation condition information received from the first information processing apparatus is stored in the second information processing apparatus. Since operation condition information that is newer than the time indicated by the update time information included in the operation condition information is stored in the second storage unit of the second information processing apparatus, it is possible to prevent old setting information and preference information from being set. can do. For example, like preference information, even if the same user changes the preference information set in accordance with the change in preference, old preference information is not set by mistake.

  Further, according to the present invention, among the operating condition information received from the first information processing apparatus, the administrator information included in the received operating condition information and the operating condition stored in the storage unit of the own information processing apparatus. Since the operating condition information that matches the administrator information included in the information is stored in the second storage means of the second information processing apparatus, setting information and preference information of other administrators are prevented from being set can do. For example, it is possible to prevent the already set preference information from being updated with the preference information of other users having different preferences.

  Further, according to the present invention, since channel setting information, preference information, and application program setting information set for other devices can be set as operation condition information of the own device, channel setting information, preference information, And there is no need to manually set application programs.

  Further, according to the present invention, it is not necessary to set the acquisition destination of the operation condition information including the setting information and the preference information in advance, and the operation condition information set in the device satisfying the master condition is connected to the same network. Therefore, the user does not need to perform a manual setting operation, and can set the operation condition information of the device that satisfies the master condition to the other device.

  Further, according to the present invention, the master information processing apparatus can be determined by any of connection time information, acquisition time information, final time information, channel number information, usage frequency information, and additional time information. The user can determine conditions for determining the master information processing apparatus according to the purpose.

  Further, according to the present invention, it is not necessary to set in advance the acquisition destination of the operation condition information including the setting information and the preference information, and the operation condition information already set in the own device is connected to the same network. Therefore, the user does not need to perform a manual setting operation.

  Further, according to the present invention, it is not necessary to set the acquisition destination of the operation condition information including the setting information and the preference information in advance, and the operation condition information set in the device satisfying the master condition is connected to the same network. Therefore, the user does not need to perform a manual setting operation, and can set the operation condition information of the device that satisfies the master condition to the other device.

  Above all, according to the present invention, common operability (display, channel preset, application) can be realized in various devices on the network, and user convenience can be improved.

  FIG. 1 schematically shows a typical configuration example of an information processing system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The information processing system 100 includes at least two information processing apparatuses capable of receiving broadcast / communication services distributed from a radio wave network or the Internet network, such as a network-compatible television (hereinafter abbreviated as a television) receiver 50a, and It includes a digital recorder 50b or a PC (Personal Computer) main body with a TV recording function.

  The network-compatible television receiver 50a (hereinafter also referred to as device A) includes a service receiving unit A51a that receives a broadcast / communication service, and a storage unit A52a that stores operating condition information serving as a parameter for controlling the operating conditions of the service receiving unit A51a. And control means A53a for exchanging operating condition information using a network. The digital recorder 50b (hereinafter also referred to as device B) includes a service receiving unit B51b that receives a broadcast / communication service, a storage unit B52b that stores operating condition information serving as a parameter for controlling the operating conditions of the service receiving unit B51b, and a network Includes control means B53b for exchanging operating condition information. The network is a network based on, for example, a wired LAN (Local Area Network), a wireless LAN, a communication line using a dedicated cable, or the Internet regardless of wired or wireless.

The service receiving means A51a and the service receiving means B51b can receive information from a plurality of broadcasting / communication services. For example, the service receiving means A51a and the service receiving means B51b receive a television broadcast or a radio broadcast distributed via a radio wave network and via an Internet network. Internet broadcast, video on demand, Internet radio, podcasting, P2P (Peer
to Peer) sharing, RSS (Rich Site Summary) distribution, electronic program guide distribution, advertisement distribution, channel distribution, online storage, or information provided by services such as WEB services, and further via the home network Information on the home network service to be provided, such as video, music, photos, and operation screens, can be received.

  The device A and the device B are connected to the network 59, and the control unit A53a and the control unit B53b respectively receive the other device and information, for example, the operating condition information stored in the storage unit A52a and the storage unit B52b. They can send and receive each other.

  Further, when the control means B53b transmits the content data stored in the storage means B52b of the device B to the device A, the control means A53a displays it on the display unit 54 of the device A, or the control means B53b displays the remote control 55b of the device B. When the control information instructed to the device B is sent to the device A, the control means A53a switches the display screen displayed on the display unit 54 of the device A based on the received control information, or the control means A53a is the device A. When the information on the service being received is sent to the device B, the control means B53b stores the received service information in the storage means B52b of the device B.

  FIG. 2 shows a configuration of the television receiver 1 included in the information processing system 100 shown in FIG. A television receiver 1 which is an information processing apparatus includes an image input / output unit 2, an OSD (On-Screen Display) generation unit 3, a display unit 4, a recording unit 5, a program memory 6, a central control unit 7, an instruction input unit 8, A main body including a data memory 9, a communication unit 10, and a time measuring unit 11, an antenna 12 and a remote controller 20 independent of the main body are included. The television receiver 1 is, for example, the network-compatible television receiver 50a shown in FIG.

  The essential components of the information processing apparatus are a program memory 6, a central control device 7, a data memory 9, and a communication unit 10, and the TV receiver 1, the digital recorder, and the PC main body with a TV recording function have these configurations. Contains elements. Other components are added according to functions provided by the respective information processing apparatuses.

The image input / output unit 2 receives a radio wave broadcast from the broadcast station 30 by the antenna 12 and selects a channel of the target broadcast station from the received TV (Television) broadcast signal. 2a, an AD (Analog-to-Digital) converter 2b for converting a video / audio signal of a channel selected by the TV tuner 2a into digital data, and a digital data converted by the AD converter 2b according to MPEG2 (Moving Picture Experts)
Encoder 2c that compresses data in a format such as Group phase 2), decoder 2e that decompresses data compressed in MPEG2, etc., and a DA (Digital-to-Analog) converter that converts digital data decompressed by decoder 2e into analog data 2d is comprised. The analog data output from the converter 2d is sent to the display unit 4.

  The OSD generation unit 3 combines the information instructed from the central control device 7 with the video signal output from the image input / output unit 2 to the display unit 4 and generates combined data to be displayed on the display unit 4. . For example, an operation performed by the user with the remote controller 20 is generated as image data, that is, composite data. The composite data output from the OSD generation unit 3 is sent to the display unit 4 via the image input / output unit 2. The display unit 4 is constituted by a display, for example, and displays data received from the image input / output unit 2. Each function of the television receiver 1 is controlled by an operation from the remote controller 20 with respect to information displayed on the display unit 4.

  The recording unit 5 is configured by a storage device such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or a semiconductor memory, for example, and includes a video data recording unit 5a that records video data compressed into the MPEG2 format by the MPEG2 encoder 2c. The recording unit 5 records the video data received from the central control device 7 and sends the recorded video data to the central control device 7. The program memory 6 is constituted by, for example, a ROM (Read Only Memory) or a RAM (Random Access Memory) such as a semiconductor memory, and stores a program executed by the central controller 7. The program stored in the program memory 6 can be upgraded using a network line.

  The central control device 7 is configured by a CPU (Central Processing Unit), for example, and controls the television receiver 1 by executing a program stored in the program memory 6. The instruction input unit 8 is configured by, for example, a remote control signal receiving device, and receives a signal from a remote controller 20 which is a remote controller that transmits a signal for remotely operating the television receiver 1, and receives information based on the received remote control signal. Send to central controller 7. The data memory 9 is composed of, for example, a RAM (Random Access Memory) such as a semiconductor memory, and the central controller 7 writes and reads data.

  The communication unit 10 is configured by, for example, a network card and transmits / receives information to / from other devices connected to the network 59, that is, other information processing apparatuses, via the network 59. That is, the information received from the central controller 7 is transmitted, and the received information is sent to the central controller 7. The timekeeping unit 11 is configured by, for example, an RTC (Real Time Clock), and sends timekeeping information including the current time to the central controller 7.

  FIG. 3 shows a connection configuration example of the home network 40 included in the information processing system 100 shown in FIG. The home network 40 includes, for example, the television receiver 1, a digital recorder 41, a PC main body 42 with a television recording function, a media converter 43, a router 44, and a hub 45. The television receiver 1, the digital recorder 41, and the PC main body 42 with a television recording function function as an information processing device. The digital recorder 41 is, for example, the digital recorder 50b shown in FIG.

  These devices are connected by a communication line composed of optical fibers, form a network based on TCP / IP (Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol), and each have a local IP (Internet Protocol) address. The IP address is, for example, 192.168.100. Any address of XXX is assigned to these devices. XXX is an integer of 1 to 255.

  The media converter 43 converts an optical signal of an optical fiber connected from the outside into an electrical signal of a LAN used indoors. The router 44 has a role of determining the destination of the packet. Further, the router 44 connects the global IP assigned to the outdoor network interface to its own home IP and home so that a plurality of information processing devices in the home can simultaneously connect to the Internet. It has a function such as a DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) server that assigns an IP address to the connected device. The hub 45 is a device for branching the network wiring in the home.

The television receiver 1 has a TV video reception display function, a TV program recording, an EPG (
Electronic Program Guide) display, favorite program display, and network connection functions. The EPG is downloaded from the EPG server on the Internet several times a day by the communication unit 10 and stored in the EPG data storage unit 9b. The EPG is program information related to each broadcast-scheduled program of the broadcast station that can be displayed by the television receiver 1, and includes a broadcast station, start date / time, end date / time, genre, program title, program description, and the like. In the recording function, the video / audio signal selected by the tuner 2a is compressed in the MPEG2 format by the encoder 2c and stored in the video data storage unit 5a. The keyword data set by the user is stored in the environment data storage unit 9c. At the time of EPG reception, all programs scheduled to be broadcast are searched, and programs with matching keywords are presented as favorite programs.

  In the above-described embodiment, the basic configuration of the television receiver 1 has been described. However, content that is distributed to the television receiver 1 via a network and has already been compressed as digital data in some form. In this case, the content is received by the communication unit 10 and stored in the storage unit 5. Further, the content distribution program and the like as well as the EPG data are received by the communication unit 10 and stored in the data memory 9.

  These functions of the television receiver 1 are realized by executing a program stored in the program memory 6. The programs stored in the program memory 6 include, for example, a recording / playback control program 6a, an EPG acquisition program 6b, a recording reservation control program 6c, a keyword reservation control program 6d, a recommended reservation control program 6e, and a scheduler program 6f.

  The recording / reproduction control program 6a indicates, for example, the instructed content or reservation information in accordance with the instruction received by the instruction input unit 8 from the remote controller 20 or the reservation information stored in the recording / reproduction reservation data storage unit 9a of the data memory 9. The image input / output unit 2 and the recording unit 5 are controlled so that the content is acquired and recorded in the image data recording unit 5a. Further, the content recorded in the image data recording unit 5a is displayed in accordance with the command received from the remote controller 20 by the instruction input unit 8 and indicating that the content recorded in the image data recording unit 5a is to be reproduced. The image input / output unit 2 and the recording unit 5 are controlled so as to be output to the unit 4.

  The EPG acquisition program 6b controls the communication unit 10 to acquire EPG data from an EPG distribution server that distributes EPG via a network such as the Internet, and stores the acquired EPG data in an EPG data storage unit of the data memory 9 Store in 9b. Alternatively, when the EPG data is provided by being superimposed on the digital content signal transmitted from the broadcasting station 30, the image input / output unit 2 is controlled so as to extract the EPG data superimposed on the digital content signal, and the image input / output is controlled. The EPG data extracted by the unit 2 is stored in the EPG data storage unit 9b.

  The recording reservation control program 6 c controls the OSD generation unit 3 to form a cursor in the EPG video displayed on the display unit 4, and moves the cursor according to a command input from the remote controller 20 by the user. . When the user operates the remote controller 20 to specify a desired program, information including the recording start date / time, recording end date / time, and channel number of the specified program is stored in the recording / playback reservation data storage unit 9a as reservation information. To do.

  The keyword reservation control program 6d is a program for making a reservation based on a keyword reservation, that is, a designated keyword. Based on the keyword stored in the environmental data storage unit 9c, the EPG data stored in the EPG data storage unit 9b is searched, and a program including the keyword is extracted and presented. Alternatively, when EPG data is received, EPG data of all programs scheduled to be broadcast is searched based on the keyword, and a program including the keyword is extracted and presented as a favorite program. Further, the keyword reservation control program 6d stores information including the time at which the program extracted based on the keyword is provided, the channel number, and the like as reservation information in the recording / playback reservation data storage unit 9a.

  The recommended reservation control program 6e searches the EPG data stored in the EPG data storage unit 9b based on the preference information stored in the environment data storage unit 9c, and extracts a program including the preference information. The recommended reservation control program 6e stores information including the time when the extracted program is provided and the channel number as reservation information in the recording / reproduction reservation data storage unit 9a. The scheduler program 6f is a task scheduler and controls the execution order of tasks processed by the central control device 7.

  The data memory 9 includes four storage areas: a recording / playback reservation data storage unit 9a, an EPG data storage unit 9b, an environment data storage unit 9c, and a network management unit 9d. The recording / playback reservation data storage unit 9a records the recording information for managing the recording of content such as video data acquired from the broadcasting station 30 in the recording unit 5 and the content acquired from the broadcasting station 30 in the recording unit 5. Information such as reservation information necessary for reserving to be stored is stored. The EPG data storage unit 9b stores EPG, that is, electronic program guide data. Specifically, the central control device 7 stores the EPG data downloaded from the EPG distribution server that distributes the EPG, for example, twice a day via a network such as the Internet.

  The environment data storage unit 9c stores operating condition information such as setting information and preference information. The operating condition information includes channel data relating to television broadcast channel settings, keyword data relating to keywords set by the user to facilitate data search, bookmark data relating to Internet home page addresses, and application programs or channel services. Includes app data about. The network management unit 9d is a storage area for storing device management information mainly for managing the history and the current status regarding the network.

  The environment data storage unit 9c stores an index data file that is a list information indicating a list of operation condition information (hereinafter, operation condition information is also simply referred to as setting information), and a data file including a data entity. . An index data table showing the data structure of the index data file is shown in Table 1. The index data file includes a plurality of index data, and each index data is composed of a set of four types of members of “type”, “data file name”, “owner”, and “update date / time”.

  The index data table lists the index data of the number of setting information data files stored in the environment data storage unit 9c. Each member has “data contents” indicating the identification information of the index data and the type of the member, “type” indicating the type of the member data, “size” indicating the size of the member data, and the contents of the member data. It consists of “data” and corresponds to the items in each column of Table 1.

  Data representing the type of setting information is set in the member of “type”. For example, in Table 1, “channel setting”, “keyword setting”, “bookmark setting”, and “application type” are set as the types of setting information. There is. These types of setting information are types corresponding to the functions of the information processing device. When new functions are added by a new service reception function or the like, new types corresponding to the added functions are added. New types are added. In the member of “data file name”, data indicating the file name including the substance of the setting information is set. In the “owner” member, data indicating the identification name of the user who has set the setting information is set. The owner is an administrator who manages the setting information, that is, the index data and the data file indicated by the index data. For the member of “update date and time”, the last date and time when the setting information is updated is set.

  Depending on the type of setting information, there are one set of index data and a plurality of sets of index data. Types of setting information include types such as channel data, keyword data, bookmark data, and application data. There is one set of index data for channel data and application data, and there are as many index data for keyword data and bookmark data as the number of owners.

  For example, the first index data described in Table 1 includes four types of data contents, that is, “data 1 type”, “data 1 data file name”, “data 1 owner”, and “data 1 update date / time”, that is, 4 “Data 1” described in each member is a set composed of types of members, and is index data identification information.

  The “type” of the member “data 1 type” is “character string”, “size” is “20” bytes, and “data” is “channel setting”. The “type” of the member “data 1 data file name” is “character string”, the “size” is “20” bytes, and the “data” is “Channel.dat”. The “type” of the member “data 1 owner” is “character string”, the “size” is “10” bytes, and the “data” is “Father”. The “type” of the member “data 1 update date / time” is “character string”, “size” is “11” bytes, and “data” is “2005/08/10 15: 44: 09 + 0900 (JST)”.

  Both the second and third index data have a “keyword setting” type, the fourth index data has a “bookmark setting”, and the Nth index data has a type “ “App type”. The “type” and “size” of each member of the index data are the same as those of the first index data. The “data” of each member of “data file name”, “owner”, and “update date / time” of the second index data is “Keyword01.dat”, “Father”, and “2005/01/01”, respectively. 15: 44: 09 + 0900 (JST) ". The third index data is “Keyword02.dat”, “MAMA”, and “2004/09/01 15: 44: 09 + 0900 (JST)”, respectively. The fourth index data is “Bookmark01.dat”, “MAMA”, and “2004/08/31 15: 44: 09 + 0900 (JST)”, respectively. The Nth index data are “apri01.dat”, “ADMIN”, and “2004/08/31 15: 44: 09 + 0900 (JST)”, respectively.

  In the example shown in Table 1, only the file name is stored as the data file name. However, when the file is stored in a memory other than the data memory 9, or stored in a memory built in another device. For example, the location of the file can be specified by a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) description. As for the owner, when it is obtained not only from the owner but also from another device, the additional device “_LivingTV” is added to “Father”, for example, “Father_LivingTV”, so that the device name of the owner is changed. It is also possible to clarify.

  The entity of the setting information, that is, the operation condition information is managed in units of files, and each file name, for example, “Channel.dat” is managed if it is channel data. Table 2 shows a channel data table showing the data structure of a channel data file named “Channel.dat” which is an example of the channel data file. The data included in the channel data file includes five types of data: number data consisting of one type of member “number of channels”, “type”, “remote control number”, “frequency”, “display number”, and “broadcast station name”. Channel data configured as a set of members. Each member has columns of “data contents”, “type”, “size”, and “data” as in the index data table shown in Table 1.

The number of channel data items included in the channel data file is set in the “channel number” member. “Type” members include terrestrial and CATV (Community
Tuner type such as (Antenna Television) is set. In the types shown in Table 2, only the terrestrial tuner is used. However, in addition to broadcasting using radio waves, IP broadcasting distributed from the Internet is also possible. A channel number that can be instructed from the remote controller 20 is set to the member of “remote controller number”. For example, numbers corresponding to numeric buttons 1 to 12 (not shown) of the remote controller 20 are shown in the “data” column. In the “frequency” member, the frequency of the broadcast wave to be selected by the television tuner 2a is set. In the case of Internet broadcasting, information such as an IP address, URL, or special number assigned to IP broadcasting is set in the “frequency” column. For the member of “display number”, a number to be displayed on the screen of the display unit 4 is set as the channel identification number when the television screen is displayed. The name of a broadcasting station that broadcasts a television broadcast at the frequency set in the member of “Frequency” is set in the member of “Broadcasting station name”. The number data is one. There are as many channel data as the number of channels to be set, and the number of set channel data is set as the number of count data.

  For example, the “type”, “size”, and “data” of the count data “number of channels” as the first member of Table 2 are “number”, “1” byte, and “12”, respectively. Indicates that channel data is set. The first channel data includes five types of data contents, that is, “channel 1 type”, “channel 1 remote control number”, “channel 1 frequency”, “channel 1 display number”, and “channel 1 broadcast station name”. A set consisting of members of a type. The “type” of the member of “channel 1 type” is “numerical value”, “size” is “1” bytes, and “data” is “1 (* terrestrial)”.

  The “type” of the member of “channel 1 remote control number” is “numerical value”, “size” is “1” bytes, and “data” is “2”. The “type” of the “channel 1 frequency” member is “numeric value”, the “size” is “1” bytes, and the “data” is “2”. The “type” of the member of “channel 1 display number” is “numeric value”, the “size” is “1” bytes, and the “data” is “2”. “Type” of the member of “Channel 1 broadcasting station name” is “character string”, “size” is “21” bytes, and “data” is “MHK synthesis”.

  The “type” and “size” of each member of the second channel data are the same as those of the first channel data. The “type”, “remote control number”, “frequency”, “display number”, and “broadcast station name” members of the second channel data are “1” (* terrestrial), “ 3 ”,“ 53 ”,“ 53 ”, and“ Nara Sankyu TV ”.

  Table 3 shows a keyword data table showing a data structure of a keyword data file named “Keyword01.dat” which is an example of the keyword data file. The data included in the keyword data file is a keyword configured as a set of count data composed of one type of member “number of keywords” and three types of members “keyword”, “genre”, and “reservation setting”. Data. Each member has columns of “data contents”, “type”, “size”, and “data” as in the index data table shown in Table 1. The data in the keyword data file is one piece of preference information set by the user according to his / her preference.

  The number of keyword data included in the keyword data file is set in the “number of keywords” member. In the “keyword” member, a keyword for searching for a program including the word of the keyword from the EPG data stored in the EPG data storage unit 9b is set. In the “genre” member, a genre of a program to be selected from programs including the keyword is set. Information indicating whether or not to reserve a program that includes a keyword and matches the genre is set in the “reservation setting” member. When making a reservation, the image quality at the time of recording, specifically, the high image quality, Information indicating either the standard image quality or the image quality for a long time is set together with information indicating that the reservation is made. The number of pieces of data is one, and there are as many pieces of keyword data as the number of set keywords.

  For example, the “type”, “size”, and “data” of the count data “number of keywords” as the first member in Table 3 are “numerical value”, “1” byte, and “10”, respectively. Indicates that keyword data is set. The first keyword data is a set of three types of data contents, that is, three types of members, that is, “keyword 1 keyword”, “keyword 1 genre”, and “keyword 1 reservation setting”.

  The “type” of the member of “keyword 1 keyword” is “character string”, “size” is “41” bytes, and “data” is “baseball broadcast”. The “type” of the “keyword 1 genre” member is “character string”, “size” is “21” bytes, and “data” is “sports”. The “type” of the member of “keyword 1 reservation setting” is “character string”, “size” is “21” bytes, and “data” is “not reserved”.

  The “type” and “size” of each member of the second keyword data are the same as those of the first keyword data. The “data” of each member of “keyword”, “genre”, and “reservation setting” of the second keyword data is “special”, “variety”, and “reserved_standard image quality”, respectively. “Reservation_standard image quality” of “reservation setting” indicates that a reservation is made with standard image quality.

  Table 4 shows a bookmark data table showing a data structure of a bookmark data file named “Bookmark01.dat” which is an example of the bookmark data file. The data included in the bookmark data file includes count data composed of one type of member “bookmark count” and bookmark data configured by combining two types of members “name” and “URL”. Each member has columns of “data contents”, “type”, “size”, and “data” as in the index data table shown in Table 1.

  In the “bookmark count” member, the number of bookmark data included in the bookmark data file is set. Identification information for identifying a bookmark is set in the member of “name”. In the “URL” member, a URL indicating an address of a homepage on the Internet is set. The number data is one, and there are as many bookmark data as the number of set bookmarks.

  For example, the “type”, “size”, and “data” of the number data “bookmark number” that is the first member of Table 4 are “number”, “1” byte, and “20”, respectively. Indicates that bookmark data is set. The first bookmark data is a set composed of two kinds of data contents, that is, two kinds of members, “bookmark 1 name” and “bookmark 1 URL”.

  The “type” of the member of “bookmark 1 name” is “character string”, “size” is “41” bytes, and “data” is “ABC Inc.”. The “type” of the “bookmark 1 URL” member is “character string”, the “size” is “255” bytes, and the “data” is “http://www.abc.co.jp”.

  The “type” and “size” of each member of the second bookmark data are the same as those of the first bookmark data. The “data” of each member of “name” and “URL” of the second bookmark data is “home server” and “http://www.abc.co.jp/galileo”, respectively.

  Table 5 shows an application data table showing the data structure of an application file named “apri01.dat” which is an example of the application data file. The data included in the application data file includes number data consisting of one type of member of “application type” and application data consisting of a plurality of types of members of “application name”. Each member has columns of “data contents”, “type”, “size”, and “data” as in the index data table shown in Table 1.

  The number of application data included in the application data file, that is, the number of applications set in the television receiver 1, that is, the total number of applications and the number of channels is set in the member of “application type”. Is done. The member of “application name” indicates the tuner type or service type of each application. The number data is one, and there are as many application data as the number of application names set.

  For example, the “data content”, “type”, “size”, and “data” of the member of “application type” that is the first member of Table 5 are “application type”, “number”, “1” bytes, And “80”, indicating that 80 types of applications are registered.

  The “data” for “data content” of the first “application name” is “01 (* terrestrial analog)” for “1 TV broadcast”, and the tuner type of the first TV broadcast is “01”. In other words, it is a ground analog. Similarly, the “data” for the “data contents” of each of the second to fifth “application names” is “02 (* terrestrial digital)” for “2 TV broadcast” and “3 TV broadcast”, respectively. “03 (* BS digital)”, “04 (* CS digital)” for “4 TV broadcasting”, and “05 (* CATV)” for “5 TV broadcasting”. The type is shown. The “data” for the “data contents” of each “application name” of the K-th to M + 1-th is “0K (* Video on Demand by MTT East Japan)” for “K Internet Broadcast” and “K + 1 Internet Broadcast”, respectively. “0K + 1 (* on-demand BB TV)”, “0L (* ABC TV shopping)” for “L Internet service”, “0M (* Internet program guide TV)” for “M recording service”, and “0M + 1 (* mobile mail reservation)” for “M + 1 recording service”, which indicates the type of service of each application.

  FIG. 4 shows device management information stored in the network management unit 9d shown in FIG. The device management information includes two types of data. The first type of data is data related to the own device, that is, the television receiver 1, and the second type of data is data related to another device connected to the same network as the own device.

  The data relating to the own device includes “Name” representing identification information for identifying the own device in the network, “Ch” representing the number of channels set, and the time of the last connection among the times when channels were added. “New ch” indicating “,” “USE” indicating the number of times the device has been used in the last month, “Base” indicating the time when the device was first connected to the network, and the device being connected to the network Includes “Last” representing the last time. The channel shown in FIG. 4 includes an application.

  The data related to the other device includes “Access name” indicating identification information for identifying the other device in the network, “MorS” indicating whether the other device is a master or a slave with respect to the own device, and the other device. Includes “Last” that represents the last time the network was connected to the network.

  The data related to the own device stored in the network management unit 9d shown in FIG. 4 is “Name” is “xxxAAA”, “Ch” is “1024ch”, and “New ch” is “Tue, 6 Nov 2005 15:44”. : 09 + 0900 (JST) "," USE "is" 11120 (last one month) "," Base "is" Tue, 6 Sep 2003 15: 44: 09 + 0900 (JST) ", and" Last "is" Tue, 6 Sep. " 2006 15: 44: 09 + 0900 (JST) ".

  The data relating to the other devices stored in the network management unit 9d illustrated in FIG. 4 includes data relating to the three other devices. The data related to the first other device is “XXXXXXXXXXXXB” for “Access name”, “Slave” for “MorS” for slave, and “Tue, 6 Sep 2005 15: 44: 09 + 0900 (JST)” for “Last”. is there. The data regarding the second other device is “XXXXXXXXXXXXC” for “Access name”, “Slave” for “MorS” for slave, and “Tue, 6 Sep 2005 15: 44: 09 + 0900 (JST)” for “Last”. is there. The data on the third other device is “AccessX” is “XXXXXXXXXXXXD”, “MorS” is “Slave” indicating a slave, and “Last” is “Tue, 6 Sep 2005 15: 44: 09 + 0900 (JST)”. is there.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the appearance of the remote controller 20 shown in FIG. The remote controller 20 is a remote controller for remotely operating the television receiver 1 shown in FIG. The remote controller 20 includes a power button 21, a menu button 22, a cursor button 23, an enter button 24, and a return button 25. The power button 21 is an operation button for instructing to turn on or off the television receiver 1. The menu button 22 is an operation button for displaying an operation menu on the screen of the display unit 4 of the television receiver 1.

  The cursor button 23 is an operation button for moving the cursor displayed on the screen of the display unit 4 on the screen, and the cursor is operated by operating four buttons with any one of up, down, left and right arrows. Can be moved. The decision button 24 is an operation button for selecting one item from among the items of the operation menu displayed on the screen of the display unit 4 with a cursor, for example, and confirming the selected item. The television receiver 1 performs processing instructed by the confirmed item. The return button 25 is an operation button for returning the screen displayed on the display unit 4 to the previous screen.

  The remote control signal transmitted from the remote controller 20 is received by the instruction input unit 8 of the television receiver 1, and the instruction input unit 8 provides the central controller 7 with information based on the received remote control signal. The central controller 7 controls related parts according to information based on the remote control signal received from the instruction input unit 8. When the information based on the remote control signal is related to the display on the display unit 4, the central control device 7 instructs the OSD generation unit 3 to control the display on the display unit 4. Thus, the user can operate the television receiver 1 remotely by operating the remote controller 20.

  FIG. 6 shows an example of a menu screen and a setting screen displayed on the display unit 4 shown in FIG. In addition to being acquired from the network, the setting information is input and set from the setting screen of each device. Furthermore, the setting contents can be changed from the setting screen. FIG. 6A shows a menu screen 80 displayed when the television receiver 1 is turned on.

  The menu screen 80 includes, for example, “menu” as a screen title, “TV” button 80a, “video” button 80b, “program guide” button 80c, “Internet” button 80d, “IP broadcast / VOD (Video On Demand). : Video on Demand) "button 80e and" Setting "button 80f. That is, it is constituted by six types of functions of “TV”, “Video”, “Program Guide”, “Internet”, “IP Broadcast / VOD”, and “Setting”. The example shown in FIG. 6A is merely an example, and is not limited to these six types of functions.

  The cursor button 23 of the remote controller 20 shown in FIG. 5 is operated to move the cursor, select a button displayed on the menu screen 80, and press the enter button 24 of the remote controller 20. The display screen of the selected mode is displayed on the display unit 4. Hereinafter, operating the cursor button 23 of the remote controller 20 to select a button displayed on the menu screen 80 with the cursor and pressing the enter button 24 of the remote controller 20 is also simply referred to as selecting a button.

  When the “TV” button 80a is selected, the “TV” mode is set and the program being broadcast can be viewed. When the “video” button 80b is selected, the “video” mode is set, a list of recorded programs is displayed, and a program selected from the displayed program list can be reproduced. When the “program guide” button 80c is selected, the “program guide” mode is set, the received EPG is displayed, and the selected program is reserved for recording. When the “Internet” button 80d is selected, the “Internet” mode is set, a WEB browser screen is displayed, a WWW (World Wide Web) page on the Internet is browsed, or a WEB-based technology for the television receiver 1 is used. The created page can be browsed.

  When the “IP broadcast / VOD” button 80e is selected, the “IP broadcast / VOD” mode is set, and the user can select and enjoy a program being broadcast or an on-demand video provided by an Internet service provider. it can. The difference between the IP broadcast and the television is whether the broadcasting means is via the Internet network or the radio wave network. With regard to video and VOD, the form of selecting and viewing a program from the program list is the same. However, while the viewer views a program recorded on the television receiver 1 by some means, VOD The Internet service provider streams or downloads the program stored in the service provider's dedicated server when the user selects the program and views the program. When the “setting” button 80f is selected, the “setting” mode is set, and various settings can be made. The menu screen 80 is also displayed when the menu button 22 is pressed on another screen.

  FIG. 6B is a diagram showing an example of a setting screen 81 displayed when the “setting” button 80f shown in FIG. 6A is selected. The setting screen 81 is a “setting” mode screen. For example, as a screen title, “setting screen”, “channel setting” button 81a, “keyword setting” button 81b, “bookmark setting” button 81c, “environment setting”. Four types of buttons, a button 81d and a “return” button 81e, are displayed.

  The setting screen 81 is a screen for selecting setting items, and “channel setting”, “keyword setting”, “bookmark setting”, and “environment setting” can be selected. By operating the remote controller 20 and selecting the “channel setting” button 81a, the “keyword setting” button 81b, the “bookmark setting” button 81c, or the “environment setting” button 81d, the channel setting screen, the keyword setting screen, A bookmark setting screen or an environment setting screen can be displayed. The “return” button 81e returns to the menu screen 80 shown in FIG. 6A, which is the previous screen.

  FIG. 6C shows an example of the channel setting screen 82 displayed when the “Channel setting” button 81a shown in FIG. 6B is selected. The channel setting screen 82 is a screen for performing channel setting, and a list of channels that have been set is displayed. The channel setting screen 82 displays, for example, a “channel setting screen” as a screen title and a list of channels set for two items of “remote control number” and “station name”.

  Since the channel setting screen 82 displays only a part of the channels in the channel list, when the “remote control number” of the channel to be set is not displayed, the remote control 20 operates the arrow 82a or the remote control By operating the up or down 20 cursor button 23, the screen can be scrolled to display the channel of the “remote control number” that was not displayed. A channel list that has been set is displayed on the channel setting screen 82, but the channel name that has not been set is displayed as “unset”.

  When the user selects a channel to be set from the list by moving the cursor button 23 of the remote controller 20 up and down and presses the enter button 24, the channel transitions to the channel individual setting screen 83 shown in FIG. The channel set by the user may be an “unset” channel. When the return button 25 of the remote controller 20 is pressed, the setting screen 81 shown in FIG.

  In the channel setting screen 82 shown in FIG. 6C, the “station name” for the remote control number “1”, the remote control number “3”, the remote control number “4”, and the remote control number “6” is “ “MHK General”, “Yamato Koriyama Television”, “AAA Television”, and “Iroha Television” are displayed.

  FIG. 6D shows an example of the channel individual setting screen 83 displayed when the channel of the remote control number “3” in the channel setting screen 82 shown in FIG. 6C is selected. . The channel individual setting screen 83 is a screen for setting each channel, and sets a remote control number, a reception channel, a display number, and a broadcasting station name. The channel individual setting screen 83 displays, for example, a “channel individual setting screen” as a screen title, channel setting items and setting contents, and two types of buttons, a “registration” button 83a and a “return” button 83b. The

  Input the setting contents corresponding to the setting item of the channel, or change the input setting item when it has already been input. In this case, the list held in advance can be displayed by moving the cursor to each item and pressing the enter button 24 of the remote controller 20, and can be selected from the list held in advance by the cursor button 23. By pressing the enter button 24 again, the cursor can be moved up and down to select each item.

When the “Register” button 83a is selected, the setting contents are updated, the updated setting contents are stored in the environment data storage unit 9c, and the screen returns to the channel setting screen 82 shown in FIG.
). When the “Register” button 83a is selected, the setting contents are stored in the environment data storage unit 9e in a state where the setting contents are reflected in the channel setting information. When the “return” button 83b is selected, the channel setting screen 82 shown in FIG.

  The channel setting screen 82 shown in FIG. 6D includes “remote control number”, “reception channel”, “display number”, and “broadcast station name” as channel setting items, and settings corresponding to these items. The contents are displayed as “3”, “53”, “53”, and “Yamatokoriyama TV”, respectively.

  FIG. 7 shows another example of the setting screen displayed on the display unit 4 shown in FIG. FIG. 7A shows an example of the keyword setting screen 84 displayed when the “keyword setting” button 81b shown in FIG. 6B is selected. The keyword setting screen 84 is a screen for setting keyword data related to keywords, for example, keywords for narrowing down programs to be reserved.

  The keyword setting screen 84 displays, for example, a “keyword setting screen” as a screen title and a list of keywords already set for two items “keyword identification number” and “keyword”. Since the keyword setting screen 84 displays only a part of the keywords in the keyword list, when the identification information of the keyword to be set is not displayed, the remote controller 20 operates the arrow 84a or the remote controller 20 By operating the cursor button 23 in the upward direction or the downward direction, the screen can be scrolled to display the identification information of the keyword that has not been displayed.

  When the user selects a keyword set from this list, that is, the keyword list, with the cursor button 23 of the remote controller 20 and presses the enter button 24, the screen shifts to the keyword individual setting screen 85 shown in FIG. The keyword to be selected may be an “unset” keyword. When the return button 25 of the remote controller 20 is operated, the setting screen 81 shown in FIG.

  In FIG. 7A, for the keyword identification information “keyword 1” to the keyword identification number “keyword 4”, the keywords are “baseball broadcast”, “special”, “Junjiro Koizumi”, and “new”, respectively. "Program" is displayed.

  FIG. 7B is a diagram showing an example of the keyword individual setting screen 85 displayed when the keyword “professional baseball” not displayed on the keyword setting screen 84 shown in FIG. 7A is selected. . The keyword individual setting screen 85 is a screen for performing setting for each keyword. For example, the keyword, genre, and action items can be set. The keyword individual setting screen 85 displays, for example, “keyword individual setting screen” as a screen title, keyword setting items and setting contents, and two types of buttons, a “register” button 85a and a “return” button 85b. The

  The keyword is set by inputting characters including numbers and symbols on the remote controller 20, for example. “Genre” is a type of program for narrowing down programs, and is selected from options prepared in advance. “Action” is an item for designating whether or not to make a reservation and, when making a reservation, the recording quality to be recorded. “Do not reserve”, “Reserve_long time”, “Reserve_standard”, Alternatively, there are four options of “reservation_high quality”, and one of these is selected. When the “Register” button 85a is selected, the setting information is reflected in the keyword setting information, and the screen shifts to the keyword setting screen 84 shown in FIG. When the “return” button 85b is selected, the input setting information is discarded and the process returns to the keyword setting screen 84 shown in FIG.

  The keyword individual setting screen 85 shown in FIG. 7B includes “keyword”, “genre”, and “action” as keyword setting items, and the corresponding setting contents are “professional baseball”. , “Sports”, and “reservation_long time” are displayed.

  FIG. 7C shows an example of the bookmark setting screen 86 displayed when the “bookmark setting” button 81c shown in FIG. 6B is selected. The bookmark setting screen 86 is a screen for setting bookmark data related to the address of an Internet homepage.

  The bookmark setting screen 86 displays, for example, a “bookmark setting screen” as a screen title and a bookmark list that has been set for two items of “bookmark identification information” and “bookmark name”. The bookmark registered in the bookmark list is, for example, a bookmark registered on the screen of a WEB browser capable of registering the URL of the displayed screen.

  Since only a part of the bookmarks in the bookmark list is displayed on the bookmark setting screen 86, when the identification information of the bookmark to be set is not displayed, by operating the arrow 86a with the remote controller 20, or on the remote controller 20 By operating the direction or down direction cursor button 23, it is possible to scroll the screen and display the identification information of the bookmark that has not been displayed.

  When a bookmark to be set is selected from the bookmark list, a bookmark individual setting screen for setting the selected bookmark is displayed. When the return button 25 of the remote controller 20 is operated, the setting screen 81 shown in FIG.

  In the bookmark setting screen 86 shown in FIG. 7C, the bookmark names of the bookmark identification information “Bookmark 1” to the bookmark identification number “Bookmark 4” are “Comprehensive cooking site. “Saving trick HP”, “General news ...”, and “TV check ...” are displayed.

  FIG. 7D is a diagram showing an example of the bookmark individual setting screen 87 displayed when the bookmark 1 displayed on the bookmark setting screen 86 shown in FIG. 7C is selected. The bookmark individual setting screen 87 is a screen for performing setting for each bookmark. The bookmark individual setting screen 87 displays, for example, a “bookmark individual setting screen” as a screen title, a bookmark name and URL, and two types of buttons, a “registration” button 87a and a “return” button 87b.

  Examples of bookmark setting items include “name” and “URL”. “Name” is identification information for identifying a bookmark for finding a homepage on the Internet. “URL” is a location or address where an Internet homepage is located.

  When the user inputs or changes the bookmark name and URL and selects the “Register” button 87a, the setting contents are updated, and the bookmark setting screen 86 shown in FIG. When the user selects the “return” button 87b, the setting contents are not updated and the bookmark setting screen 86 shown in FIG.

  The bookmark individual setting screen 87 shown in FIG. 7D includes “name” and “URL” as bookmark setting items, and “name: general cooking site“ Yesterday's cooking ”” and “URL: “http://www.cook.yesterday.co.jp”.

  Each setting information is not only information set by the user on each screen described above, but may be, for example, preference information automatically learned by the apparatus, or channel setting information automatically set by auto-preset. There may be. The setting information may be information set in any way as long as it is information composed of numerical values or character strings.

  Furthermore, using these setting screens, not only the setting of the own device but also the setting of other devices may be made possible. Specifically, the setting information of the device B may be set by operating the screen displayed on the display unit 4 of the device A with the remote controller of the device A.

  FIG. 8 shows a detailed configuration of the control means shown in FIG. The information processing device A1a and the information processing device B1b shown in FIG. 8 are obtained by extracting components related to the control means from the configuration of the television receiver 1 shown in FIG.

  The information processing device A1a corresponds to the control unit A7a corresponding to the central control device 7 illustrated in FIG. 2, the communication unit A10a corresponding to the communication unit 10 illustrated in FIG. 2, and the network management unit 9d illustrated in FIG. The control means A53a shown in FIG. 1 including the network management unit A9da is configured by a control unit A7a, a communication unit A10a, and a network management unit A9da. Similarly, the information processing apparatus B1b includes a control unit B7b corresponding to the central control device 7 illustrated in FIG. 2, a communication unit B10b corresponding to the communication unit 10 illustrated in FIG. 2, and a network management unit 9d illustrated in FIG. The control means B53b shown in FIG. 1 includes a control unit B7b, a communication unit B10b, and a network management unit B9db.

  The communication unit A10a and the communication unit B10b include a connection detection unit A101a and a connection detection unit B101b each configured by a switch and a sensor for detecting connection to the network. The connection detection unit A101a detects that the information processing device A1a is connected to the network and another information processing device is connected to the network, and sends information indicating that to the control unit A7a. When the control unit A7a receives the information indicating the connection from the connection detection unit A101a, the control unit A7a writes the received information in the network management unit A9da together with the time information indicating the connection time. The information processing apparatus B1b performs the same processing, but the description is omitted because of duplication.

Connection to the network can be detected by detecting the insertion or removal of a physical cable, such as USB (
When device A and device B are directly connected by a universal serial bus) cable, etc., it is detected by detecting the power source connecting the cable and the device, or by the link at the time when the LAN cable is connected, that is, by physical connection. Is done. Furthermore, when the program installed in the device B is detected, for example, connected to the home network, the same segment, for example, 192.168.100. It can be detected by broadcasting to xxx.

  In the existing network environment, when a new device, for example, an information processing apparatus such as a network TV or a digital recorder is introduced, or a television and a recording part are separated as in a personal computer with a large screen TV. In such a device, when trouble occurs in either the television or the recording part and the setting is initialized or the device is replaced, the setting information is transferred to the other information using the information stored in the network management unit A9da. Whether or not to transmit to the information processing apparatus can be determined.

  FIG. 9 is a flowchart processed by the transmission side of the television receiver 1 shown in FIG. The transmission-side television receiver 1 is, for example, the network-compatible television receiver 50a shown in FIG. 1, and the reception-side television receiver 1 is, for example, the digital recorder 50b shown in FIG. is there. Hereinafter, the information processing apparatus on the transmission side, that is, the network-compatible television receiver 50a is referred to as device A, and the information processing apparatus on the reception side, that is, the digital recorder 50b or the PC body with the TV recording function is referred to as device B. This flowchart shows a process in which the central control device 7 of the device A transmits operating condition information such as setting information and preference information from the device A to the device B. The operation condition information is already set in the device A, and the communication unit 10 of the device A, specifically, the connection detection unit 101 included in the communication unit 10 detects that another device is connected to the network. When the information indicating that is sent to the central controller 7, the process proceeds to step S1.

  In step S1, it is recognized from the information received from the communication unit 10 that the device B has been added to the network. In step S2, the connection history of the device B, that is, whether the device B has been connected in the past is confirmed based on the data stored in the network management unit 9d of the data memory 9. If there is a connection history, the process proceeds to step S6, and if there is no connection history, the process proceeds to step S3.

  In step S3, preparation is made for provision of operating condition information such as setting information and preference information to the device B. The provision preparation is to extract data to be transmitted to the device B from the data stored in the environment data storage unit 9c. In step S4, the extracted data is converted into data that can be transmitted, for example, the extracted data is compressed or encrypted into data that can be decrypted by a destination device. Specifically, encryption is performed so that only the IP address or MAC (Media Access Control) address of the device B can be decrypted. In step S5, the converted data is transmitted to device B, and this process is terminated.

  In step S6, the date and time of connection is confirmed. That is, it is confirmed whether or not the device B has been connected to the network for a certain period before the current time. If it has not been connected for a certain period of time, the process proceeds to step S3. If it has been connected within a certain period of time, for example, it is temporarily not connected due to a power failure or failure, and the connection history is valid. This process is terminated.

  In step S5, the converted data is transmitted to the device B. The operation condition information such as setting information and preference information stored in the environment data storage unit 9c is index data which is list information indicating a list of operation condition information. The file is composed of a file and a data file including the substance of the data. First, the index data file is transmitted, and then the data file requested from the device B is transmitted.

  FIG. 10 is a flowchart of the first half processed by the receiving side of the television receiver 1 shown in FIG. This flowchart shows a process in which the central control device 7 of the device B on the receiving side of the operation condition information such as setting information and preference information receives the index data file from the device A in the operation condition information. When the communication unit 10 of the device B, specifically, the connection detection unit 101 included in the communication unit 10 detects that it is connected to the network, the communication unit 10 sends information indicating that to the central control device 7. The process proceeds to step T1.

  In step T1, it is recognized from the information received from the communication unit 10 that it is connected to the network. In step T2, the setting information stored in the environment data storage unit 9c is confirmed. Confirmation of the setting information means confirming whether the setting information is in an initial state. This initial state is the state when the device B is purchased, the state where the setting information of the device B is initialized, that is, the state where the device B is returned to the factory default state, or the device B due to a power failure or long-time power OFF. The data stored in the internal data memory 9 is in a state such as a state where the data is erased. If the setting information has been set, the process proceeds to step T6. If the setting information has not been set, that is, if the setting information is in the initial state, the process proceeds to step T3.

  In step T3, reception of information from the device A, specifically, an index data file is awaited. When waiting, a screen indicating “Information is being acquired” is displayed on the display connected to the device B. This display may be a display separately connected to the device B, for example, or the display of the device A may be used as the display of the device B and the information of the device B may be displayed by an input switching operation or the like. If there is no information from the device A, specifically, if there is no index data file from the device A for a certain period of time via the network, the process proceeds to step T7, and if there is information from the device A, the process proceeds to step T4. move on.

  In step T4, information, that is, an index data file such as the index data file shown in Table 1 is received from the device A. In step T5, the received information is analyzed. The analysis of the received information includes decrypting the encrypted information and further decompressing the compressed information. When the analysis ends, the process proceeds to step U1 shown in FIG.

  In step T6, the setting information update date is confirmed. If the update date / time of the setting information is within a certain period before the current time, this process ends. When the update date / time of the setting information is not within a certain period, the process proceeds to step T3. In step T7, for example, the setting screen 81 shown in FIG. 6B is displayed to prompt manual setting by the user. When the setting is completed, this process is terminated.

  FIG. 11 is a second half flowchart processed by the receiving side of the television receiver 1 shown in FIG. This flowchart shows a process of receiving a data file from the device A. After step T5 shown in FIG. 10, the process proceeds to step U1.

  In step U1, it is determined whether there is available setting information and preference information based on the index data file analyzed in step T5. The determination as to whether or not the service can be used is made, for example, based on whether or not there is a service that can be used by the device B among the services that are received and used by the device A. Specifically, it is determined whether or not the index data corresponding to the type information of one index data among the index data of the received index data file is stored in the environment data storage unit 9c. That is, the type indicated by the type information is a type corresponding to the function of the device, and it is to determine whether or not the function of the device A is in the device B. If there is a function corresponding to the device B, it can be used. When it cannot be used, the process proceeds to Step U5, and when it is usable, the process proceeds to Step U2.

  In step U2, it is determined whether the owners are the same. Specifically, the owner information of one index data among the index data of the received index data file and the owner information of the corresponding index data of the index data file stored in the environment data storage unit 9c are the same. Judge whether or not. If the owners are the same, the received index data is overwritten and registered in the corresponding index data in the environment data storage unit 9c, and the process proceeds to step U4. If the owners are not the same, the process proceeds to step U3.

  In step U3, it is determined whether a plurality of owners can set. Data that can be set by multiple owners can be used if data can be stored in multiple sets, such as keyword settings and bookmark settings, and if the device B is upgraded by a service program. It is data. Data that cannot be set by a plurality of owners is data of channel setting and data that is parental-locked by, for example, an application of a service program provided by the service. If a plurality of owners cannot be set, the process proceeds to step U5. If a plurality of owners can be set, the received index data is additionally registered in the environment data storage unit 9c, and the process proceeds to step U4.

  In step U4, when the index data is updated in the environmental data storage unit 9c, a data file specified by the index data, for example, any one of the tables shown in Tables 2 to 5 is downloaded. In step U5, it is determined whether all index data included in the received index file has been checked. If all index data has been checked, this process is terminated. If all index data has not been checked, the process returns to step U1 to check the next index data. In step U5, before checking whether or not all the index data has been checked, it is determined whether or not any trouble has occurred in the download. For example, it is checked whether or not it is infected with a virus. If there is a defect, the process returns to step U1 for retry.

  In the flowchart shown in FIG. 11, the owner downloaded the data file of the same index data, but the data file to be downloaded may be selected using the update time of the index data. Specifically, the time indicated by the update time information of one index data of the index data of the received index data file and the update time information of the corresponding index data of the index data file stored in the environment data storage unit 9c When the time indicated by the update time information of the received index data is new, the corresponding index data is updated and a data file of the index data is downloaded.

  FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing details of step T6 shown in FIG. If the setting information has been set in step T2 of FIG. 10, the process proceeds to step V1.

  In step V1, each update date and time in the index data is confirmed, that is, update time information in the received index data is extracted. In step V2, the time indicated by the extracted update time information is compared with the current time. If there is an update within a certain time before the current time, for example within one hour, it is determined that the data has already been updated to the latest data, and this process is terminated. If there is no update within a certain time of the current time, the process proceeds to step T3 in order to wait for information to be transmitted from the device A. Even when the connection state is established by turning on the power, the update is possible if a certain time has passed.

  In the above-described embodiment, the transmission of the operation condition information from the device A to the device B is performed when it is detected that the device B is connected to the network. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The operating condition information may be transmitted every time a predetermined time, for example, 24 hours elapses, or the time may be changed depending on the content of the operating condition information.

  As described above, in the information processing system 100 in which a plurality of information processing devices that operate based on operation condition information that represents a predetermined operation condition, for example, setting information and preference information, are connected to each other, For example, when the connection of another device to the network is detected, the operating condition information stored in the first storage means of the first information processing apparatus included in the information processing system 100, for example, the network compatible television receiver 50a, is From the first information processing apparatus to the second information processing apparatus included in the information processing system 100, for example, the digital recorder 50b or the PC main body with a TV recording function. Of the received operating condition information, a predetermined setting for storing the operating condition information is received. Since the operation condition information that matches the storage conditions is stored in the second storage means, the acquisition destination of the operation condition information including the setting information and the preference information is set in advance on the receiving device, that is, the second information processing apparatus. The operating condition information that has already been set in the own device, that is, the first information processing apparatus on the transmitting side, can be directly transmitted to other devices connected to the same network. Therefore, the user does not need to perform a manual setting operation.

  Further, the predetermined storage condition, that is, the condition for storing the operation condition information is that the type information included in the operation condition information received by the receiving unit is the type included in the operation condition information stored in the second storage unit. Since it is a condition that matches the information, among the operation condition information received from another information processing apparatus, the operation condition including the type information that matches the type information included in the operation condition information stored in the own information processing apparatus Information can be stored in the storage means of the information processing apparatus. Therefore, setting information and preference information suitable for the information processing apparatus can be selected and used even with operation condition information acquired from another information processing apparatus.

  Furthermore, the predetermined storage condition, that is, the condition for storing the operation condition information is the operation condition in which the time indicated by the update time information included in the operation condition information received by the receiving means is stored in the second storage means. Since the condition is that it is later than the time indicated by the update time information included in the information, the update time information included in the received operation condition information indicates the operation condition information received from another information processing apparatus. The operation condition information whose time is newer than the time indicated by the update time information included in the operation condition information stored in the storage means of the own information processing apparatus can be stored in the storage means of the own information processing apparatus. Therefore, it is possible to prevent old setting information and preference information from being set. For example, like preference information, even if the same user changes the preference information set in accordance with the change in preference, old preference information is not set by mistake.

  Further, the predetermined storage condition, that is, the condition for storing the operation condition information is the operation condition stored in the second storage means by the administrator indicated by the administrator information included in the operation condition information received by the receiving means. Since it is a condition that the administrator information included in the information matches the administrator indicated by the information, among the operation condition information received from other information processing apparatuses, the administrator information included in the received operation condition information The operation condition information that matches the administrator information included in the operation condition information stored in the storage means of the information processing apparatus can be stored in the storage means of the own information processing apparatus. Therefore, setting information and preference information of other managers can be prevented from being set. For example, it is possible to prevent the already set preference information from being updated with the preference information of other users having different preferences.

  Furthermore, since the operation condition information includes at least one of channel setting information, preference information related to the user's preference, and setting information indicating the operation condition of the application program, the operation condition information is set in another device. Channel setting information, preference information, and application program setting information can be set as operation condition information of the device itself. Therefore, it is not necessary to manually set the channel setting information, the preference information, and the application program.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart of master determination processing performed by the television receiver 1 included in the information processing system according to another embodiment of the present invention. The configuration of the television receiver included in this information processing system is the same as that of the television receiver 1 shown in FIG.
Usually, when there are a plurality of devices such as a television receiver, it is considered that there are devices that are always used. For example, if there are multiple TV receivers in the home that can receive the same Internet broadcast, and the service is available free of charge when used by a family, each TV receiver It is also possible to use it on a plane. However, if Internet broadcasting is charged, it is likely that it will be used more often on devices where families in the living room gather.

In other words, even if there are multiple devices with the same function, the living device is set to be able to use various services, but the devices in each room are for using the minimum necessary services. Often only set. Therefore, it is considered effective to use the setting of each device in accordance with the setting of the television receiver in the living room that is usually used. As a result, the frequency of use of the television receiver in the living room is increased, and the device is inevitably used as a main machine in the home.
In addition, when a new channel, that is, a new function is added, for example, when the device is upgraded by some means, it is also effective to reflect the setting information on other devices with the added device as the master device. is there.

  The flowchart shown in FIG. 13 is processed by the central controller 7 of the television receiver 1. One television receiver 1 is, for example, the network-compatible television receiver 50a shown in FIG. 1, and the other television receiver 1 is, for example, the digital recorder 50b shown in FIG. 1 or a PC body with a television recording function. Hereinafter, the network-compatible television receiver 50a is referred to as device A, and the digital recorder 50b or the PC body with a TV recording function is referred to as device B. When the connection detection unit 101 included in the communication unit 10 of the device A detects that another device is connected to the network, and the communication unit 10 sends information indicating that to the central control device 7, the process goes to step W1. Move.

  In step W1, it is recognized from the information received from the communication unit 10 that the device B has been added to the network where the device A exists. In step W2, based on the device management information stored in the network management unit 9d of the data memory 9, it is determined whether there is a connection history of the device B, that is, whether the device B has been connected in the past. If there is a connection history, the process proceeds to step W3. If there is no connection history, the process ends, and the process proceeds to step S3 shown in FIG.

  In step W3, the New channel addition time is compared with the Last access time of device B. That is, the time when a new channel is added to the device A and the time when the device B was last connected are compared. Specifically, the “New ch” data and the “Last access” data of the device B are compared among the data stored in the network management unit 9 d. When the New channel addition time is new, that is, when the time when a new channel is added to the device A is later, the process proceeds to Step W4. If the access of the device B is newer, that is, if the time when the device B was last connected is later, this process is terminated, and the process proceeds to step S3 shown in FIG. For example, in the example of the data of the network management unit 9d shown in FIG. Since access is “Tue, 6 Sep 2005 15: 44: 09 + 0900 (JST)” and New ch addition time is new, the process proceeds to step W4.

  In step W4, the device management information stored in the network management unit 9d of the device B is requested to the device B. The request for device management information is made by transmitting device management information request information for requesting device management information to device B. In step W5, device A and device B are compared based on the environment setting. Specifically, Ch, New ch, and USE data included in the device management information acquired from the device B, and Ch, New ch, included in the device management information stored in the network management unit 9d of the device A, And USE data are respectively compared. That is, a comparison based on the number of channels, a comparison based on usage frequency, and a comparison based on whether or not New ch has increased.

  In step W6, a master device is determined. The criteria for determining which one to use as the master device is set in advance by the user on the environment setting screen 88 described later. For example, the device with the larger number of channels is determined as the master device, the device with the higher usage frequency is determined as the master device, or the device with more channels is determined as the master device. In step W7, it is determined whether or not the device A is determined as the master device. If the device A is a master device, this process is terminated, and the process proceeds to step S3 shown in FIG. If the device A is not the master device, this process ends.

  FIG. 14 shows an example of the environment setting screen 88 displayed on the display unit 4 shown in FIG. The environment setting screen 88 is displayed when the “environment setting” button 81d shown in FIG. 6B is selected.

  In the environment setting screen 88, for example, an “environment setting screen”, a selection item, and a “return” button 88a are displayed as the title of the screen. The selection items include, for example, “a device with a large number of channel settings becomes a parent (master)”, “a device with a high frequency of use becomes a parent (master)”, and “a device with a new channel increased as a parent (master)” There are three items. When the cursor button 23 of the remote controller 20 is operated to select an item and the enter button 24 is pressed, a check mark is displayed in the check box for that item. The selected item is any one of the three items. When one item is selected, the check mark displayed in the other items disappears, and only the check mark of the selected item is displayed. When the “return” button 88a is pressed, the setting screen 81 shown in FIG.

  FIG. 15 is a flowchart for processing when the television receiver 1 shown in FIG. 13 detects disconnection. This flowchart is processed by the central controller 7 of the television receiver 1. The disconnection includes a case where the network portion is disconnected due to an influence such as a failure such as failure, replacement, or movement of the installation location. The connection detection unit 101 included in the communication unit 10 detects that the connection with the network has been disconnected, and the communication unit 10 performs central control on information indicating the cause of disconnection and the disconnection detected by the connection detection unit 101. When it is sent to the device 7, the process proceeds to Step X1.

  In step X1, it is determined whether or not the cause of disconnection is its own device, that is, device A. The determination here is based on the information received from the communication unit 10, whether the cable is physically disconnected on the device A side, for example, whether the cable is inserted into the connector or energized, or the device A Is determined based on whether the IP address has been acquired from the network or the device A itself is operating normally. If the cause is the device A, the process proceeds to Step X10. If the cause is not the cause, the process proceeds to Step X2.

  In step X2, device information of the device B that is the cause of disconnection, for example, information such as an IP address or MAC address that can recognize the device, and the last connection time are stored in the network management unit 9d. In step X3, the device A as a master device waits for another device to be connected. In step X3, it is determined whether or not the device A has been accessed. That is, it is determined whether or not a new device is connected to the network to which the device A is connected. If a new device is connected, the process proceeds to step X5. If a new device is not connected, the process returns to step X3.

  In step X5, the access device is confirmed. That is, it is determined whether or not the newly connected device is a device having a setting sharing function. The setting sharing function is a function for a newly connected device to receive operation condition information set in another device and use it as operation condition information of the own device. If the newly connected device has the setting sharing function, the process proceeds to step X6. If the newly connected device does not have the setting sharing function, the process returns to step X3. Whether or not the device has a sharing setting function is determined when each device confirms an IP address, a device name, and the like using common recognition software.

  In step X6, it is determined whether or not the device A is in an initial setting state, that is, an initial setting state. For example, whether device A itself has not been erased due to an unexpected event such as a lightning strike or power outage, or whether the configuration information has become initial data due to a software upgrade, etc. Check. Whether or not the data is initial data is determined based on whether or not the parameter stored in the environmental data storage unit 9c in the data memory 9 is in an initial setting state. Alternatively, the determination can also be made based on whether the information of the network management unit 9d is initialized by the system initialization. If the device A is not the initial setting, the process proceeds to step X7. If the device A is initially set, the transmission of the operation condition information is stopped and this process is terminated. After the completion, device A waits for information provision from the master of another device as a slave.

  In step X7, it is determined whether or not the device is a new shared device. That is, it is determined whether the device newly connected to the network to which the device A is connected is a device managed by the network management unit 9d of the device A. If the newly connected device is a device managed as a slave by the network management unit 9d of the device A, that is, if the device A is the master, the process proceeds to step X9. If the newly connected device is not a device managed by the network management unit 9d of the device A, or if it is a device managed as a master, the process proceeds to step X8.

  In step X8, it is determined whether the device A is a master or a slave. The master / slave is determined based on the order of connection to the network, the number of channels, that is, the total number of applications and channels, the frequency of device usage, or the adaptation order of channels that can be newly used by adding new functions of application services Is judged by. In the order of connection to the network, for example, one of the equipment whose physical cable was connected earlier, the equipment that acquired the current network address first, or the equipment whose last connection time to the network is later A device that satisfies the conditions is a master device. In terms of the number of channels, a device having a large number of channels is set as a master device. In the usage frequency, a device with a high usage frequency is set as a master device. In the order of adapting the channels that can be newly used, the device that has increased the number of channels that can be newly used is set as the master device. These determinations are made by comparing both device A and device B with the device management information stored in the network management unit 9d shown in FIG. If the device A is the master, the process proceeds to step X9. If the device A is the slave, the transmission of the operation condition information is stopped, and this process is terminated. After the completion, device A waits for information provision from the master of another device as a slave.

  In step X9, the device A provides information as a master device and ends this process. That is, the operating condition information is transmitted to the device B, and this process is terminated. The process of step X9 is performed, for example, in steps S3 to S5 shown in FIG. In step X10, the detection function of the connection detection unit 101 is terminated, an error message is displayed on the display or the like on the device A side, the user is notified, and the process is terminated. When connected to the network next time, the device A operates as a slave.

  As described above, the central control device 7 as the first control means included in the first information processing apparatus, for example, the network-compatible television receiver 50a, for example, connects another device to the network when a predetermined transmission condition is satisfied. A master information processing device that transmits operating condition information such as setting information and preference information stored in the data memory 9 as the first storage means included in the first information processing device to another information processing device. Device management information request information for requesting device management information used for determination is transmitted to the second information processing apparatus, for example, the digital recorder 50b or the PC body with a TV recording function, and the transmitted device management information request information In response to the device management information transmitted from the second information processing apparatus, the received device management information and the first When the device management information stored in the storage means is compared and it is determined that the device management information of the first information processing device satisfies a predetermined master condition, the first information processing device is set as the master information processing device, The operating condition information stored in the first storage means is transmitted to the second information processing apparatus. Further, when the second information processing device receives the operation condition information from the first information processing device, the central control device 7 as the second control means included in the second information processing device receives the received operation condition information. Among them, since the operation condition information that matches the predetermined storage condition for storing the operation condition information is stored in the second storage means, the setting information and the preference information are stored in the receiving device, that is, the second information processing apparatus. It is not necessary to previously set the acquisition destination of the operation condition information including the operation condition information set in the device satisfying the master condition, that is, the first information processing apparatus on the transmission side, and the like. It can be set by sending directly to other devices. Therefore, the user does not need to perform a manual setting operation, and can set the operation condition information of the device that satisfies the master condition to other devices.

  Furthermore, the device management information includes connection time information indicating the time when the information processing apparatus is connected to the network, acquisition time information indicating the time when the information processing apparatus acquires a network address, and the information processing apparatus is connected to the network. Last time information indicating the last time, the number of channels indicating the number of applications and channels set in the local information processing device, usage frequency information indicating the usage frequency of the local information processing device, and applications and channels last. Since at least one of the additional time information representing the added time is included, the first control unit determines whether or not a predetermined master condition is satisfied based on the information, Connection time information, acquisition time information, final time information, channel number information, usage frequency information, and additional time information By any of, it is possible to determine the master information processing apparatus. Therefore, the user can determine the conditions for determining the master information processing apparatus according to the purpose.

  An information processing method according to still another embodiment of the present invention is a processing method according to the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 9 to 12 or at least one of the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 14 and 15 in the flowcharts shown in FIGS. This is realized by a processing method according to a flowchart with one added. These processing methods are processed when the central controller 7 of the information processing apparatus included in the information processing system 100 shown in FIG. 1 executes a program stored in the program memory 6.

  As described above, a plurality of information processing devices that operate based on operation condition information representing predetermined operation conditions, for example, setting information and preference information, and the first of the plurality of information processing devices connected to each other. When a predetermined transmission condition is established from the information processing apparatus, for example, the network-compatible television receiver 50a, the operation condition information stored in the first information processing apparatus is used as the second information processing apparatus among the plurality of information processing apparatuses. For example, when the second information processing apparatus transmits the operation condition information from the first information processing apparatus to the digital recorder 50b or the PC main body with the TV recording function, the operation condition information is included in the received operation condition information. Is stored in the second information processing apparatus in accordance with the predetermined storage condition for storing the information, so that the receiving side device, i.e., the second There is no need to previously set an acquisition destination of operation condition information including setting information and preference information in the information processing apparatus, and the same operation condition information that has already been set in the own apparatus, that is, the first information processing apparatus on the transmission side. It can be set by sending directly to other devices connected to the network. Therefore, the user does not need to perform a manual setting operation.

  Furthermore, a plurality of information processing devices that operate based on operation condition information representing predetermined operation conditions such as setting information and preference information, and the first information processing among the plurality of information processing devices connected to each other If the device, for example, the network-compatible television receiver 50a satisfies the predetermined master condition, for example, when it is detected that the device is connected to the network, the first information processing device is the master information processing device based on the device management information. When it is determined that there is, the first information processing apparatus uses the operating condition information stored in the first information processing apparatus as a second information processing apparatus among the plurality of information processing apparatuses, for example, the digital recorder 50b or When the second information processing apparatus receives the operating condition information from the first information processing apparatus Among the received operating condition information, operating condition information that matches a predetermined storage condition for storing the operating condition information is stored in the second information processing apparatus. It is not necessary to set in advance the acquisition destination of operation condition information including setting information and preference information in the device, and the same operation condition information set in the device that satisfies the master condition, that is, the first information processing device on the transmission side. It can be set by sending directly to other devices connected to the network. Therefore, the user does not need to perform a manual setting operation, and can set the operation condition information of the device that satisfies the master condition to other devices.

The typical structural example of the information processing system 100 which is one Embodiment of this invention is shown typically. The structure of the television receiver 1 contained in the information processing system 100 shown in FIG. 1 is shown. 2 shows a connection configuration example of a home network 40 included in the information processing system 100 shown in FIG. The apparatus management information memorize | stored in the network management part 9d shown in FIG. 2 is shown. It is a figure which shows an example of the external appearance of the remote control 20 shown in FIG. The example of the menu screen and setting screen which are displayed on the display part 4 shown in FIG. 2 is shown. The other example of the setting screen displayed on the display part 4 shown in FIG. 2 is shown. The detailed structure of the control means shown in FIG. 1 is shown. It is a flowchart which the transmission side of the television receiver 1 shown in FIG. 2 processes. It is the first half flowchart which the receiving side of the television receiver 1 shown in FIG. 2 processes. FIG. 3 is a flowchart of the latter half processed by the receiving side of the television receiver 1 shown in FIG. 2. FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the detail of step T6 shown in FIG. It is a flowchart of the master determination process which the television receiver 1 contained in the information processing system which is other embodiment of this invention performs. An example of the environment setting screen 88 displayed on the display unit 4 shown in FIG. 2 is shown. It is a flowchart processed when the television receiver 1 shown in FIG. 13 detects disconnection.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Television receiver 2 Image input / output part 3 OSD production | generation part 4,54 Display part 5 Recording part 6 Program memory 7 Central control device 8 Instruction input part 9 Data memory 10 Communication part 11 Timekeeping part 12 Antenna 20,55 Remote control 21 Power button 22 Menu button 23 Cursor button 24 Enter button 25 Return button 30 Broadcasting station 40 Home network 41, 50b Digital recorder 42 PC body with TV recording function 43 Media converter 44 Router 45 Hub 50a Network-compatible TV receiver 51 Service receiving means 52 Storage means 53 Control Unit 100 Information Processing System 101 Connection Detection Unit

Claims (9)

An information processing system in which a plurality of information processing devices that perform operations based on operation condition information representing predetermined operation conditions are connected to each other,
First storage means for storing operation condition information, transmission means, and first control means for causing the transmission means to transmit operation condition information stored in the first storage means when a predetermined transmission condition is established. A first information processing device including:
When the operating condition information transmitted by the second storing means, the receiving means, and the transmitting means for storing the operating condition information is received by the receiving means, the operating condition among the operating condition information received by the receiving means And a second information processing apparatus including second control means for storing operation condition information that matches predetermined storage conditions for storing information in the second storage means. system. The operating condition information includes type information corresponding to the function of the information processing apparatus,
The predetermined storage condition is a condition that the type information included in the operation condition information received by the receiving unit matches the type information included in the operation condition information stored in the second storage unit. The information processing system according to claim 1. The operation condition information includes update time information indicating a time when the operation condition information is updated,
The predetermined storage condition is that the time indicated by the update time information included in the operation condition information received by the receiving means is the time indicated by the update time information included in the operation condition information stored in the second storage means. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein the information processing system is a condition that the information processing system is later. The operating condition information includes administrator information for identifying an administrator who manages the operating condition information,
The predetermined storage condition is indicated by the administrator information included in the operation condition information stored in the second storage means by the administrator indicated by the administrator information included in the operation condition information received by the receiving means. The information processing system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the information processing system is a condition that matches an administrator.   5. The operation condition information includes at least one of channel setting information, preference information related to user preferences, and setting information indicating an operation condition of an application program. The information processing system according to any one of the above. An information processing system in which a plurality of information processing devices that perform operations based on operation condition information representing predetermined operation conditions are connected to each other,
First storage means for storing device management information and operating condition information used to determine a master information processing apparatus that transmits operating condition information to another information processing apparatus, first transmission / reception means, and the first information processing apparatus A first information processing apparatus including first control means for transmitting and receiving information by means of transmission and reception means;
A second information processing apparatus including second storage means for storing device management information and operating condition information, second transmission / reception means, and second control means for transmitting / receiving information by the second transmission / reception means. ,
The first control unit transmits device management information request information for requesting device management information to the second information processing apparatus by the first transmission / reception unit when a predetermined transmission condition is satisfied,
When the second control unit receives the device management information request information from the first information processing apparatus by the second transmission / reception unit, the second control unit stores the device management information stored in the second storage unit. Transmitted to the first information processing apparatus by means of transmission / reception means;
When the first control unit receives device management information from the second information processing apparatus by the first transmission / reception unit, the first control unit receives the device management information received by the first transmission / reception unit, and the first storage Comparing the device management information stored in the means and determining that the device management information of the first information processing device satisfies a predetermined master condition, the first information processing device is set as a master information processing device, The operating condition information stored in the first storage means is transmitted to the second information processing apparatus by the first transmission / reception means,
When the second control means receives the operating condition information from the first information processing apparatus by the second transmitting / receiving means, the operating condition information among the operating condition information received by the second transmitting / receiving means. An information processing system characterized in that operation condition information that matches a predetermined storage condition for storing the information is stored in the second storage means. The device management information includes connection time information indicating a time when the information processing apparatus is connected to the network, acquisition time information indicating a time when the information processing apparatus acquires a network address, and the information processing apparatus is connected to the network. Final time information indicating the final time, channel number information indicating the number of applications and channels set in the information processing apparatus, usage frequency information indicating the frequency of use of the information processing apparatus, and applications or channels. Including at least one of additional time information representing the last added time,
When the time indicated by the connection time information of the first information processing apparatus is earlier than the time indicated by the connection time information of the second information processing apparatus, the first control means When the time indicated by the acquisition time information of the device is earlier than the time indicated by the acquisition time information of the second information processing device, the time indicated by the final time information of the first information processing device is the second information. When the number indicated by the channel number information of the first information processing device is greater than the number indicated by the channel number information of the second information processing device when the time indicated by the final time information of the processing device is earlier than When the usage frequency indicated by the usage frequency information of the first information processing apparatus is higher than the usage frequency indicated by the usage frequency information of the second information processing apparatus, or by additional time information of the first information processing apparatus Time is the second information processing location When than the time indicated additional time information of the device is earlier, the information processing system according to claim 6, wherein determining that the pre-determined master condition is satisfied.   A plurality of information processing devices that operate based on operation condition information representing a predetermined operation condition, and a predetermined transmission condition is set from a first information processing device among the plurality of information processing devices connected to each other. If established, the operating condition information stored in the first information processing device is transmitted to a second information processing device of the plurality of information processing devices, and the second information processing device further transmits the first information processing device. When the operating condition information is received from the information processing apparatus, the operating condition information that matches a predetermined storage condition for storing the operating condition information among the received operating condition information is sent to the second information processing apparatus. An information processing method characterized by storing.   A plurality of information processing devices that perform an operation based on operation condition information representing a predetermined operation condition, wherein a first information processing device among the plurality of information processing devices connected to each other satisfies a master condition that is predetermined. And the first information processing apparatus transmits the operating condition information stored in the first information processing apparatus to the second information processing apparatus among the plurality of information processing apparatuses, and further the second information When the processing device receives the operation condition information from the first information processing device, the operation condition information that matches a predetermined storage condition for storing the operation condition information is received from the received operation condition information. An information processing method comprising storing the information in the information processing apparatus.

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